No more luxury villas: Popular Balaton village bans panoramic luxury holiday homes

A small village on the southern shore of Lake Balaton has decided to stop the spread of luxury holiday homes in order to protect its historic vineyards and quiet rural atmosphere.

Lake Balaton’s Kőröshegy halts hillside development

The municipality of Kőröshegy has introduced a strict measure preventing certain agricultural plots from being removed from cultivation, SONLINE reported. This effectively blocks the construction of new panoramic holiday homes on the scenic hillside overlooking the lake.

Local authorities say the aim is to ensure that the landscape continues to be defined by vineyards and orchards rather than a rapidly growing holiday-home zone.

Mayor Gyula Poór explained that the village’s so-called “zártkert” areas (small agricultural plots traditionally used for cultivation, lit. “closed garden”) belong to a first-class vineyard classification. These lands form part of the renowned Balatonboglár wine region, making their preservation particularly important for local producers and wineries.

According to the mayor, the municipality wants to make sure that the hillsides remain covered with carefully maintained rows of vines rather than newly built villas targeting holidaymakers.

Protecting local winemaking and tranquillity

Local leaders say the tightening of rules is primarily intended to safeguard small-scale farmers and the region’s wine culture. Another concern is the potential transformation of the quiet countryside into a busy resort area.

Despite the picturesque views over the lake that have attracted many buyers in recent years, the village leadership wants to prevent uncontrolled development driven by tourism and second-home construction.